At its April 19, 2017, meeting, the LaPorte Park and Recreation Board reversed an ordinance it had passed in March that banned alcohol use and smoking at Stone Lake Beach.

The new rule allows alcohol and legal tobacco products at the beach, except in a newly designated “family section” that includes the beach house, within 50 feet of all playground equipment, and up to half of the beach area.

“There will be no restrictions on alcoholic beverages, smoking, vaping or use of any tobacco product on the other areas of the beach,” according to the park department.

Now there’s a giant step forward. One leaves the driver impaired, the other eventually kills. But, of course, those in the so-called family section won’t be able to see any of those partaking. Wonder what the Park and Recreation Board was smoking when they reversed the ordinance.

Quite naturally, when everyone else is banning alcohol and smoking, La Porte decides to reverse course and invite it. Who wants to come to a place where alcohol is consumed, often to excess, while your children are present?

Look at any previous episodes that occurred at the beach area; any involve alcohol consumption? It was just last summer that there was a guy with liquor and a gun on Waverly beach that had the police blocking off the roads and a man hunt. I believe alcohol was the root of that problem.

Sadly shaking my head and wondering why the community leaders, led by a mayor that is a proponent of health, would allow this?

Seems to me like we are regressing instead of progressing. The beach is supposed to be a family outing, correct??? Where does smoking and alcohol fit into a “family outing”? I think someone dropped the ball on this one. Now the druggies and alkies have another site to destroy. Sad sad sad.

Not everyone who smokes and/or drinks are irresponsible. This is a public park. It should be alright for a couple of friends to be able to walk to beach, meet with another to lay out and enjoy the beach. We might have two or three drinks through the day and walk back home. Should this not be allowed? Should we be banished from the beach? What happened to our rights? Everyone needs remember the old saying live and let live. It is not your place to judge. Do not stereotype everyone who may smoke or drink.

Are there going to be signs or roped off areas where all this smoking and alcohol are going to be used? Is someone going to police these areas. I see trouble ahead and I do not see how this is going to work! Please La Porte “leaders” go back and rethink this terrible decision!

People will find a reason to complain about anything. In my day you could still smoke inside Louis and there were those cigarette machines at every bowling alley. Needless to say, there were no “no smoking / drinking areas” in public parks. Babying your children is what’s led us to a nation of kids who expect free college, the government should pay for healthcare, and the silencing of those you don’t agree with. Some cigarette smoke in the open air won’t kill you. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Oh and before you start complaining about children have no choice, or this article said nothing about children, blah blah blah, I mention children in the literal sense. Remember, now you can still be on your parents insurance at 25. I consider the vast majority of milllennials to be children because that’s how they act. Stop complaining and enjoy your “absolute” freedom while it lasts. I love the beach but I rarely go. If you don’t like the rules, don’t go. No one is saying you’re required to drink and smoke or stare at the “spectacle”.

Now that half of the beach is now smoke free and alcohol free, all of the non smoking / non drinking do-gooders complaining in the comments above, now have half of the beach to drink their pop and eat their junk food without the nuisance of smokers and drinkers and they are still complaining. I just don’t get it, they must be charter members of the La Porte chapter of the piss and moan about everything club.

I agree with most of the posted sentiments; this is a “fundamentally flawed” decision. It appears to be an attempt at a compromise. But it’s not logical, nor workable. My vote is to make Stone Lake Beach completely “family friendly”; ban the alcohol and tobacco.

I agree with Old school and Jim’s comments. I’s so sad that people actually have the arrogance to believe that anyone with a different lifestyle than theirs should be banned from public places. I smoke and drink (as well as pickup tons of trash in our parks, cemeteries and along the roadside) Funny, I wonder how many of these folks who want to take my freedom of choice away own guns and would have a fit if I tried to take that right away from them?

Like Jim stated “they must be charter members of the La Porte chapter of the piss and moan about everything club.” 🙁

By the way, I don’t care to look at fat people in bathing suits…maybe they should be sectioned off and a fence put up in order not to offend my holier than thou/it’s all about me feelings? Likewise, maybe the Star Spangled Banner should be revised with these six words being omitted (O’er the land of the free)?

Yes, and those wonderful smoking commercials that we have to see on TV of smokers with gum disease pulling their teeth out, or the smokers with tubes in their throats, or having to clear out their voice boxes. Great fun!
There’s a reason they run these commercials, don’t show smoking on TV, or have cigarette ads in magazines anymore. Wise up people!

I can understand alcohol a little but why smoking?! Isn’t this public property that tax payers funded? Second hand smoke KILLS. Now I can’t let my kid walk around there because of second hand smoke. Who do I complain to and what meetings do I need to show up to so that we can get this reversed? I’ll gladly start the petition.